The Limehouse Jazzband, formed in 1965, is soon to celebrate it’s Golden Jubilee. Originally from Haarlem City, near Amsterdam, the band has developed a huge reputation for specialising in New Orleans music of the 1920/1932 era.

Robert Duis

Musicians from the band, including their leader, Robert Duis, appeared at Jazz Fest in Châteauneuf-du-Faou in July as The Limehouse Seven, featured in the festival programme as “A Virtuoso Group specialising in the Art of New Orleans Music”.

Robert has since introduced the band to Jazz&Jazz. Their website is at: http://www.limehouse-jazzband.nl and I am pleased to feature their forthcoming gig in The Netherlands on Friday, 15th August, “JAZZ BUFFET”, at Beek, Montferland.

If you happen to be holidaying in the area why not seize the opportunity to go along.

For reservations email: [email protected] or [email protected]

 True to their New Orleans style, The Frog Islanders got Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle’s 2014 Festival off to a rip roaring start on the evening of Friday, 11th July. The hall was packed making filming the full band difficult. So in the YouTube below I focused on the brass conclave: Graham Reed (tuba), John Whitehead (trumpet), John Jeans (trombone) plus
Jimmy Hurd on clarinet.

Pure, rhythmic New Orleans music that got the festival off to a flying start.

Photos & YouTubes © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

Hit this link to listen to KASPAAR Sound Recording Specialist’s excellent recording of
Frog Island’s session at Seaside Shuffle Festival.
http://kaspaar.info/seaside-shuffle.htm
kaspaar.info

Irvin Berlin’s 1935 hit “Cheek to Cheek” sung by Rita Payés with Joan Chamorro’s wonderfully talented youngsters in his Barcelona based Sant Androu Jazz Band. Set in the charming centre of Châteauneuf-du-Faou during the tenth year of the town’s incredibly successful Fest Jazz organised by Trevor Stent, the music resonated around the square.

Please excuse my rather extravagant “manoeuvres” in filming the band due to additional seating needed to cater for the growing audience – funnily enough depicted below as the first frame by YouTube but not in the movie! My thanks to Patti and Ginny for re-arranging the seating!

By the way, one of the Tuba Skinny musicians described the Sant Androu youngsters as “Scary good!” Eat your heart out Ella!

Photos & YouTubes © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

More great sounds from Fest Jazz’s Tenth Anniversary Festival at Châteauneuf-du-Faou, Brittany, July, 2014. The weather was glorious and en plein air suited Tuba Skinny’s New Orleans Street style. No wonder they stole the show! “Big Chief Battle Axe” was composed by Thomas S. Allen in 1907.

British fans are pressing hard for them to tour the UK. Join the campaign by posting your comment below.

NB This video is not centring on this  page. A YouTube glitch, so please view via the
YouTube button bottom right.

Photos & YouTubes © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

I have followed Joan Chamorro’s incredible youth band for some months on Jazz&Jazz so it was a huge privilege to meet him at Fest Jazz and even to become Facebook Friends.
His work with his young stars is inspirational – hardly matched any where else in the world
let alone in the UK.

Here they are performing “All Too Soon” en plein air in Châteauneuf-du-Faou’s town square.
None too soon for me, that’s for sure.

Back in January, 2013, I featured Joan and Andrea Motis, one of his young proteges, in my post entitled “Encouraging Signs for Jazz in Europe, So Why Not in the UK?”.  Be sure to read Pete Lay’s comments which follow the article.

So why not in the UK? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to welcome this amazing youth band to our shores? If Trevor Stent and Fest Jazz in Brittany can do it, surely we can! You can have your say in the “Comments” section below.

More Fest Jazz YouTubes will follow, including the equally inspiring and refreshing Tuba Skinny stars and the Saint Andreau Band performing to packed audiences in the Grand Marquee.

Photos & YouTubes © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

I promised more Tuba Skinny at Fest Jazz, Chateauneuf-du-Faou and here is my first YouTube instalment. I won’t waste words other than to say the festival was brilliant and Tuba Skinny were something very special. As also were Joan Chamorro’s Sant Andreu Youth Jazz Band.

More YouTubes of both bands to follow. And of the other great bands who kept fans on their toes.

Thank you, Trevor Stent and Anneke Laurens for such a phenomenal Tenth Anniversary show.

 So here it is: Tuba Skinny and  “Sweet Lovin Old Soul”

If you want to see Tuba Skinny touring the UK, say so in the Comment Box below.
The more “Yeses” the  sooner the possibilities of arranging it.

Photos & YouTubes © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

Festival Organiser Trevor Stent has long wanted me to cover Fest Jazz at Châteauneuf-du-Faou in person. Proud to say this year I was there! And, Trevor, this year, marking the festival’s 10th Anniversary, was the right year for me to come along with Ginny, my wife
and, on this occasion, organiser!

Jazz in the Town Square with Tuba Skinny.

It was the right year not only because Tuba Skinny starred but also because of all the other great bands and performances including Joan Chamorro’s outstandingly incredible
Saint Androu Youth Jazz Band.

But this is just a preliminary offering about the Festival. I will post a fuller, grander report later, once I have processed as YouTubes a selection of the wonderful videos I was able to capture.

Photo © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

Not booked for Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle Festival yet?

Time’s short. Get onto it NOW!

CELEBRATING RAMSGATE SEASIDE SHUFFLE

Just a Week to go for Festival Fun in The Sun. Don’t miss out on this humungous jazz weekend with SEVEN GREAT BANDS!

Just £40.00 for the entire festival or £10 per session.
Visit http://www.visitthanet.co.uk for accommodation.

Harbour Side Jazz and Brolly Parade

With Burt Butler’s Jazz Pilgrims – Bring you brollies!

Sunday, 13th July, 11.00am – 1.30pm
Opposite The Belgian Bar

PLUS

The Frog Island Jazz Band

Bill Barnacle All Stars

Dave Rance’s Rockin’ Chair Band (From a band portrait by Peter M Butler)

Colin Kingwell’s Jazz Bandits

The Gambit Jazzmen

The Golden Eagle Jazz Band

 Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle in Action

The Golden Eagle Jazz Band bring the house down with “Canal Street Blues”

Photos & YouTube © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz
Portrait of Dave Rance’s Rockin’ Chair Band by Peter M Butler commissioned by Dave Rance